Neoliberal Era Research Articles

Courts, mining conflicts, and Adivasi rights: a case study from central India (2000–2022)

ABSTRACT Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha are home to 22 million Adivasis (indigenous peoples). In the neoliberal era, the Adivasis are being exploited due to an increased emphasis on resource extraction, compounded with weak institutional mechanisms to address Adivasi concerns. I examine the role of the higher courts in upholding Adivasis’ rights during mining conflicts, through analysis of 33 litigations resolved between 2000 and 2022. I find, with a 48.5% success rate, these litigations produce mixed results for the Adivasi communities. Despite a legislative shift sought from state sovereignty to shared sovereignty, there is a judicial inconsistency on claims against usurpation of Adivasi land without consent. During mining governance, the Adivasis are excluded from the decision-making process, but the courts do not encourage a polycentric approach to mining governance. Only at the stage of profit redistribution, where there are no competing claims, the courts ensure benefit-sharing of profits with the Adivasis.

A Return to Khaki Rule? Democracy and Africa's Lost History of Military Government

Abstract Much of West Africa (and particularly the Sahel) may be once falling again under military government. This essay asks what, if anything, historians of Africa can contribute to an understanding of this phenomenon. I argue that writing the history and understanding the memory of military government will entail a renewed approach to political history and social theory. It will also entail confronting — just as so many citizens are currently doing — the peculiar failures of democracy in Africa's neoliberal era.

Extractivism and capitalism in the era of neoliberal globalisation: development and resistance dynamics in Latin America

This article explores the development and resistance dynamics of capital in the neoliberal era of capitalist development. The context for this exploration is Latin America, the region that has been most severely impacted by the globalising dynamics of the world capitalist system, which is in the throes of a multidimensional crisis that has assumed global proportions. The region has also seen the most powerful forces of resistance to this development, a resistance led by the Indigenous and farming communities on the extractive frontier. It is argued that each advance of capital in the development process, that is, each phase in the capitalist development of the forces of production – from the colonial era of mercantilism and extractive imperialism to the era of neoliberal globalisation – has generated corresponding forces of resistance, leading to a succession of development–resistance cycles in the evolution of capitalism as a world system.

Bollywood in the neoliberal era: changing discourses on multiculturalism, terrorism, and nationalism in ‘Dil Se … ’ (1998) and ‘Fanaa’ (2006)

ABSTRACT Indian nationalism has remained, for long, an important subtext to Bollywood cinema. However, whether Bollywood cinematic output could be considered as Indian national cinema has encouraged very divisive academic discourses. When Bollywood received the status of an Industry in 1998 in keeping with the promise made in the BJP 1998 electoral manifesto (Bharatiya Janata Party, 2016, p. 232–233), it appeared that the benefits of Economic Liberalisation could finally be enjoyed by the Bombay film establishment. By focusing on Mani Ratnam’s Dil Se … (1998) and Kunal Kohli’s ‘Fanaa’ (2006) this paper shall explore in detail how the nascent neoliberalism affected the discourse of Indian nationalism on the Bollywood screen through binary formation, and Othering of minorities; and how such strategies were incorporated within Hindutva style of communal identity formation in the wake of the political discourses engendered by the 2001 Parliament Attack.

Backdirt as a Means of Deconstruction of Archaeological Procedure: The Case Study of Tel Burnat, The Occupied Palestinian Territories

ABSTRACT This paper will examine the case study of Tel Burnat, located to the north of Nablus in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, to demonstrate how the concept of backdirt may be employed to deconstruct the interrelation between academic archaeological discourse and public archaeological discourse in the neoliberal era. Building upon the reconfiguration of the concept of backdirt by Carvalho (this issue) and Rivera Prince and Morales (this issue), it is my claim that backdirt serves as a subversive component in archaeological procedure. As such, it invites a critical examination of how different components of archaeological procedure attribute different degrees of importance to the same archaeological findings.

Supporting Widening Participation Students Without Creating Dependency or Leaving Them Unprepared for Work in the Neoliberal Era

In a rapidly changing employment context, research holds that the desirable attributes of grit, resilience and context adaptation will become fundamental to the ongoing employability of current students. The employment landscape has become atomised and volatile under neoliberalism, exemplified by the broken psychological contract between employer and employee. Graduates from widening participation backgrounds entering the labour market will see their existing barriers to career success exacerbated by these changes in the world of work. For students from widening participation backgrounds, the neoliberal policies that underpin these changes are congruent with other policies that exacerbate their socioeconomic and educational disadvantages. Consequently, universities must play an increasingly important role in supporting students within and outside of the taught curriculum. This paper explores ways universities can continue to provide students with the necessary support without building dependencies or expectations of support that would inhibit the development of grit, resilience, and context adaptation. As a starting point for further discussion, this paper proposes guiding principles for universities to inform institutional Teaching and Learning strategies.

Between feminism and partisanship: the rise and decline of the women’s movement in Belize, 1975–1993

ABSTRACT This paper examines the historical trajectory of the women’s movement in Belize, focusing on a critical period (1975–1993). We draw upon original sources from archival research coupled with interviews with Belizean women to interpret the rise and decline of the women’s movement. The movement in Belize emerged in the late 1970s and peaked during the 1980s. At the height of the movement, female-led NGOs organized women across Belize with the goal of empowering women to better their communities and living conditions. Yet the outcomes of the movement dissipated in the 1990s. We interpret the vicissitudes of the movement against the backdrop of divisions generated during the years surrounding political independence (achieved in 1981). As Belize’s struggle for independence from British colonialism reached its denouement in 1979–1981, the concerns of Belizean women came into public consciousness shaped by the U.N. Decade for Women, Cold War politics, and the politics of decolonization. These sparked a women’s movement in the 1980s, albeit in a fashion that could not be sustained into the 1990s, an era of NGOs, neoliberalism, and clientelism.

The formalisation of academic subjectivity under constant performance assessment

ABSTRACT This paper considers the part played by measuring instruments in academic subjectivity. Higher education in many regions has undergone procedures of marketisation. Because competitive mechanisms entail calculable and comparable data, performance measurement contributes indispensably to procedures of marketisation. This study aims to explore how the neoliberal discourse has been enacted and has eventually overwhelmed Taiwanese higher education as regards academic management and institutional practices. This scenario begins by the issue of promotion evaluations, which is the most important concern for most interviewees, then delineates the ubiquity of performance measurement, demonstrated by Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and principles of accountability, followed by other internal evaluations, university rankings and honours systems. Taking the case of universities in Taiwan, this study illustrates how academic subjectivity, as a locus of power relations, was established in the neoliberal era.

Careers in “woman‐friendly” occupations: Investigating the role of beauty consultant in the era of neoliberalism

AbstractThis article explores the paradoxical nature of beauty consultant careers in Japan. Despite being considered a “woman‐friendly” occupation, it reveals the challenging aspects of this profession in a neoliberal context. Japan's gender gap in employment is stark, with women often engaged in precarious positions, earning significantly less than men. The beauty industry, perceived as advancing women's empowerment, presents opportunities for women in management roles. However, the profession of a beauty consultant demands continuous beauty upkeep, making it a potentially unsustainable career. The research draws on interviews with former and current beauty consultants, supplemented by statistical data and observational research. It highlights their working environment, including entry requirements, training, career advancement, and aesthetic labor demands such as wearing company uniforms, using specific makeup, and maintaining a youthful appearance. Despite a seemingly supportive environment with maternity leave and career advancement prospects, the research reveals the reality of aesthetic labor demands, limited career progression, and challenges faced by women in sustaining their careers after life events like childbirth. Neoliberal norms impact these women, emphasizing self‐fulfillment, maintaining youth and beauty, and working post life events. In conclusion, the research offers insights into the gendered labor dynamics in Japan and broadens understanding of women's labor in the neoliberal context. It calls for a deeper examination of “woman‐friendly” workplaces and underscores the need to recognize the challenges women face in career progression in such environments.

Bringing “The Plant” to Life: Imagining Community Revitalization in the Neoliberal Era

On August 27, 1992, the General Motors (GM) auto plant in Van Nuys closed after a half-century serving the Northeast San Fernando Valley. Its closure undercut the livelihoods of auto workers like Raymond Álvarez and his father Ramón. Today, the father and son duo look at “The Plant,” an outdoor shopping mall, and wonder whether the In-N-Out fast-food restaurant or T-Mobile store marks where they once stood on the assembly line. The departure of the GM plant and other long-standing manufacturing firms propelled the area into economic distress as Los Angeles was reeling from another crisis, the 1992 Uprising. In the wake of these events, elected officials clamored to revitalize the city. Six years later, “revitalization” came in the form of the shopping center, The Plant. By tracing the historical trajectory of one shuttered auto plant, from factory to shopping mall, this article demonstrates how neoliberal ideology gained legitimacy over the last several decades.

INTERRELATIONSHIP OF MIGRATION AND WELFARE STATE IN NEO-LIBERAL ERA

The impact of neoliberalism on immigration policy is an area that needs to be studied for the crucial role it has in shaping the socio-economic and political direction of a nation. It is of vital signification because of the role it has in shaping the nature of human lives. This paper is an attempt to study the interrelationship between the welfare state and migration juxtaposed in the neo-liberal era. An attempt is made to delineate theoretically the relationship between migration and the welfare state.

Anti-feminism as anti-establishment and emancipatory: the gendered metapolitics of Incel

ABSTRACT In recent years Incel 1 has become a regularly cited example of extreme contemporary misogyny and antifeminism. This paper develops existing understandings of the phenomenon and contextualises Incel as in important ways the product of a painful embrace of neoliberal ideas about market outcomes and social value, expressed through the practices and rhetoric associated with gender relations in this era, with an emphasis on its gendered metapolitical constitution and vision. This is achieved in two steps. Based on a close thematic analysis of textual data collected from the main hub of Incel discourse, other Incel texts, and elements of digital ethnography, I first draw attention to the Incel worldview’s interpretation of the neoliberal era as uniformly pro-feminist and note how in doing so collapses the distinction between women, feminists, and elite power. Second, I highlight how this interpretation informs the self-ascription of transgressive and emancipatory qualities, which serve as additional animating logics in Incel hatred of feminism, feminists, and women. I conclude by suggesting that this approach allows for a more productive understanding of the Incel phenomenon and the role of antifeminism and misogyny within it, which includes complicating Incel’s purported parallels with the far-right.

Temporary migration and middle class nation building in Canada

ABSTRACT This article explores the relationship between temporary labor migration programs (TLMPs) in the post-war era and middle-class nation-building. The analysis centers on Canada, an exemplary case of balancing the rights of foreign workers and national concerns. By examining two eras of Canadian TLMPs – one Keynesian and the other neoliberal – I foreground how and why temporariness has reemerged as a norm in (im)migration policy. Relative to TLMPs before 1990, contemporary ones emphasize merit, skill, and private actors with implications for how countries like Canada imagine political belonging. In the neoliberal era, the normative emphasis on permanence is challenged by a more transactional view of people’s standing in a political jurisdiction. If this is a global shift, this analysis raises questions about whether we are now experiencing a doubling down on the market logics of migration and national membership, a backlash against it, or something different.

The Crisis of University Autonomy in India: A Critical Reflection on the Policy Framework

The idea and practice of university autonomy has remained a sphere of contestation worldwide and in the Indian context as well. In India, various policy documents have attempted to delineate guidelines and regulations concerning university’s functioning but remained unsuccessful in transforming universities into self-governing and autonomous institutions. Against this background, the present paper analyses the policy documents of post-independent India. The analyses seek to interpret their conception of university autonomy and attempts to understand if policies lack a significant aspect of this conceptual construction of university autonomy. Furthermore, the universities in India remain over-regulated and under-governed. As a result, the tussle for autonomy between the State and the universities continues to exist and has intensified in the Neoliberal era. Hence, the present paper delves into these significant aspects and attempts to give a nuanced picture of changing dynamics of university autonomy in Indian context.

The Transformation of Teachers’ Subjectivities in Swedish Municipal Adult Education: An Autoethnographic Perspective

Within the specific cultural and historical context of Swedish adult education, this article employs autoethnography to explore teachers’ complex experiences during the era of neoliberalism. Its aim is to illuminate teachers’ multifaceted realities within this dynamic and shed light on the diverse challenges and struggles they encounter. Drawing on personal experiences and Stephen Ball's conceptual framework, the article asserts that neoliberal ideologies prompt significant shifts in education, emphasizing market-oriented practices, individualization, and flexibility. Consequently, these influences have a profound impact on teachers’ work, belief systems, values, behaviors, and pedagogical approaches. The narrative offers insights into the emotional, professional, and ethical challenges prompted by these reforms. It captures the interplay between policy changes, teachers’ responses, and broader implications for education quality and teachers’ wellbeing. This process becomes interwoven with teachers’ negotiations amid tensions between neoliberal policies and their professional ideals, evoking a range of emotions—from subjective alienation to ontological uncertainty.

From Patronage to Commodification: The Urban Policies of the True Path Party in The Neoliberal Era

In the study, the urban policies of the centre-right in the struggle to establish neoliberal hegemony in Turkey, which became clear in the 1980s, were examined by focusing on the True Path Party (TPP). Thus, it is aimed to reveal the change in the urban policies of the Party in the neoliberal process. In order to achieve the stated purpose, historical comparative research method was used in the study. It is thought that a comparative examination of the period from the establishment of the Party to Demirel's Presidency and the period when Çiller was Chairman of the Party can reveal the discontinuities, dilemmas and continuities experienced between the two periods in the Party's land policies, depending on the neoliberal perspective. It has been concluded that in the Party's discourses about the city in the period until Demirel's Presidency, it highlighted the patronage-based populist policies that were widely implemented during the Justice Party period, rather than the commodification process implemented by Motherland Party. During the Çiller period, TPP's urban policies went hand in hand with capital accumulation based on marketization and were based on the exploitation of non-commodified urban spaces, similar to the Özal period. However, while Özal was able to gain the consent of both the urban poor and the capital for a long time in sharing urban rent with the policies he implemented, Çiller could not achieve the balance between these two interest groups competing on urban land with the new property and zoning regulations she implemented. Thus, Çiller broke the Party away from Demirel's discourse, which made abundant references to welfare policies, and this caused the support of the urban poor, whose importance was increasingly increasing in the transforming social structure of the country, to shift towards new political movements. As a matter of fact, the Party lost the support of the most urban voters among its voter base and could not win any metropolitan municipality in the 1999 local elections.

“The mother is a child, too”: neoliberal segmentarity, reproductive futurism, and relationality in Enlightened

ABSTRACT This article examines Mike White and Laura Dern’s HBO series Enlightened (2011–13) in relation to questions of segmentarity, motherhood, feminism, reproductive futurism, and neoliberal capitalism. Rather than looking at the series’ central whistleblower narrative, this article instead examines a secondary plot charting the protagonist’s affective investment in the plight of a Mexican immigrant and her two American children. Drawing on a Deleuzo-Guattarian framework, the article argues that Enlightened foregrounds the important connections between segmentarity and our contemporary neoliberal era, particularly in the context of current political debates surrounding immigration in the United States. The article also examines the ways in which Enlightened teases out the nationalist and neoliberal biases inherent in Lee Edelman’s formulation of reproductive futurism, and briefly draws on Safe (Todd Haynes, 1995), forging key comparisons between the film and Enlightened in relation to their shared interest in New Age spirituality, capitalism, maternity, and ecology. Through the lens of Deleuze and Guattari’s thinking on segmentarity and becoming, the article argues that Enlightened posits alternative modes of community, mothering, and futurity.

Attitudes Towards New Career Approaches among Working Students: A Comparative Analysis with Non-Student Employees

This research sought to explore the new career approaches of employed students. A comparative analysis was conducted with nonstudent employees to comprehensively grasp the novel career attitudes of working students. The neoliberal era has profoundly reshaped various disciplines, including economics, human resource management, and employment structures. Among these changes, career management has undergone a significant transformation. Conventional organisational careers have been supplanted by new approaches such as boundaryless, protean, subjective career success and kaleidoscope careers. These emerging career paradigms align with the emergence of novel forms of employment. Moreover, in an increasingly liberalised world, the rising costs of education and the growing prevalence of paid education are prompting students to enter the workforce while continuing their studies. The proliferation of companies offering part-time employment, such as private employment agencies, corresponds to an increase in students seeking part-time work. In other words, supply and demand within the part-time labour market intersect more robustly. Furthermore, working students gain valuable experience while employed, shaping the future supply of the labour market. Our research aims to assess the suitability of new career approaches for future workers and contributes to unravelling their complexities. The study also investigates whether employees are students and whether this affects their career approaches. To analyse this research, boundaryless career attitude and professional career attitude scales were utilised as assessment tools. These new career approaches represent innovation in careers. The research dataset comprised responses from 521 working students and 374 nonstudent employees, all of whom were actively employed in Istanbul, the most populous city in Turkey and home to many universities. The data analysis employed a quantitative research methodology using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, correlation analysis, and independent t tests. The findings revealed that working students exhibited significantly greater boundaryless career orientation, organisational mobility, boundaryless mindset, and value-driven career attitudes than did their nonstudent counterparts. The outcomes of this study will make a valuable contribution to the existing body of literature concerning employed students. Furthermore, the findings are anticipated to provide valuable insights into formulating and implementing human resources policies within organisations that engage in student employment practices. By shedding light on the experiences, challenges, and potential areas for improvement in this context, this research aims to inform and enhance the effectiveness of human resource strategies tailored toward working students.

David Hare'in Stuff Happens ve The Permanent Way Adlı Oyunlarında Neoliberalizmin Eleştirel Bir Analizi

This paper concentrates on two plays written during the core period of the neoliberal era, specifically the 2000s. The works under examination are The Permanent Way and Stuff Happens. Acknowledging that literary productions are intertwined with broader and more complex social structures, this study endeavours to identify the dialectical relationships between Hare’s plays, the societies they reflect, and the dominant neoliberal policies prevalent since the 1970s. The research aims to contextualize David Hare’s selected plays and argue that they possess a dialectical relationship with the societies of their creation. Employing the dialectical method, the analysis examines the interactive arrangements between the plays and their socio-political context, emphasizing Hare’s unique language and thematic choices that construct his literary argument. Given the prevalence of neoliberal ideology, this research centers on plays written after the new millennium. The selection is based on their strong reflections of neoliberal policies and their perceived contribution to the decline of neoliberalism. Hence, this study aims to investigate the representation of economic and social inequalities within Hare’s plays, coinciding with the dissolution of social integrity and corruption of institutions, signifying the decline of neoliberalism

Arwa Salih’s Gendered Critique

Abstract This article seeks to clarify the stakes of Arwa Salih’s critical methodology by reading her project—specifically, her development of Milan Kundera’s notion of kitsch, her analytic use of gender, and her formal and political concern with legacy and inheritance—alongside the literary history of iltizam. The article contends that Salih’s critical method and search for ethical knowledge frame iltizam as a form of militant kitsch that prized dogma and readymade answers over ethical and political curiosity. By reading Salih’s historical-political critique in terms of gendered literary symbolism and aesthetics, the article attempts to make clear the resonance of her analytic method in the field of modern Arabic literature—especially Egyptian literature—and to point out how literature and critique are implicated in the social and political changes that forged and solidified Egypt’s neoliberal era.